Maharashtra should become a global hub for mobility innovation, says Fadnavis at Mercedes-Benz EV launch

Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said Maharashtra should not be known only as a major automobile manufacturing state but wants to become an international centre of mobility innovation as well. He was speaking at the launch of Mercedes-Benz's electric GLC at Chakan. He said the government would now focus more on research, engineering and advanced automotive technology along with vehicle production.

The launch of the electric SUV is an important milestone for the Chakan manufacturing plant, which has been part of Maharashtra's automobile industry for many years. Fadnavis said the state is moving towards a bigger role in the global automotive ecosystem, going beyond making products to developing the technologies that will define future mobility.

Deputy Chief Minister Sunetra Pawar, senior Mercedes-Benz officials and Santosh Iyer, Managing Director and CEO of Mercedes-Benz India, were present at the event.

Fadnavis referred to the cluster of automobile companies and allied industries in Pune and Pimpri-Chinchwad. He said Maharashtra accounts for more than 20 per cent of the country's total vehicle production, and this strong base allows the sector to expand into new areas.

According to him, the next phase of the government's industrial growth will rest on electric vehicles, battery systems, power electronics, semiconductors and artificial intelligence. Automotive software, vehicle design and research and development will also get attention, so that investment in high-value technology and engineering comes to the state.

The Chief Minister also asked Mercedes-Benz to use the Chakan plant as a manufacturing base not only for Indian customers but also for markets in Asia and elsewhere in the world.

Under the Maharashtra electric vehicle policy, the government has set a target of raising the share of electric vehicles in new vehicle registrations to 30 per cent by 2030. To increase the number of people adopting them, the state is working to expand fast-charging infrastructure on highways. Sustainable mobility corridors are also planned along the Mumbai-Pune Expressway and the Samruddhi Mahamarg. The government is also promoting battery recycling, so that a more sustainable electric mobility ecosystem can be built.

Deputy Chief Minister Sunetra Pawar said Mercedes-Benz has played a major role in Maharashtra's industrial growth over the past three decades. She described the start of local production of electric vehicles as another milestone for the state's manufacturing sector.

She said the combination of electric powertrains, artificial intelligence and environmentally conscious methods of production shows the direction in which the automobile industry is heading. According to Pawar, Pune's established industrial base can help the district strengthen its position in next-generation vehicle manufacturing and technology.